Appa and The Sea
written by: Viji Narayan
Seashores of Kollam
Have shared my upheavals,
Lashing waves have always
Brought forth gushes of joy into me.
Days when I held your fingers,
Walking along the shores,
With non-stop questions and
Nagging sibling at my side
Seem a vintage portrait now.
Vague memories of waters sweeping me away
Anxious sister, “I told you not to,” uncles,
Laughing brothers and rushing to shelter at mom’s lap
Are frozen still shots
From my album of life.
Your khadi clad tall figure
Playing cards with your friends,
Discussing politics with passion and vigor,
While I played in the sands with my kid brother
Sharing masala peanuts with him,
Seem to be of a previous era.
We all shared a love
For these lashing waves
For they were mute spectators of our lives.
Away from the songs of the sea for decades,
In my waking dreams and slumbers
Music of the rhythmic slashing waves of Kollam
Never left my ears.
When I threw behind me in those waters,
That last morsel for you to consume after your demise,
The heaviness and the love in my heart knew no bounds.
In that moment of sadness, I knew
You will be there with me
For years to come,
For you were an ocean of love.
Every visit to a seashore
Will bring back to me
Memories of a khadi clad appa
And his love for me
For we are all lovers of sea.
* Apppa – Tamil word for father
* Kollam – a coastal town in the state of Kerala in southern India
- Appa and The Sea - April 29, 2025
- The World Knocks at My Door - January 17, 2025
- You Do Inspire - September 8, 2024
